Le Saux, who played for the Blues between 1997 and 2003, opted out of a UEFA Cup match in October 2001, also against Maccabi, due to the threat of terrorism after the September 11 attacks.

Chelsea had given their players the option to opt out of the match and Marcel Desailly, William Gallas, Albert Ferrer, Eidur Gudjohnsen and Emmanuel Petit decided to stay and watch at home as their side sank to a 2-0 defeat.

In a press conference on Monday, Mourinho took a swipe at Le Saux, who has been vocal with his criticism of the Chelsea manager this season over his treatment of the club's former physio Eva Carneiro.

“I didn’t speak in a formal way to the squad [about security concerns],” Mourinho said. “I didn’t have a meeting to ask them about their feelings. But I had a couple of individual contacts – more than a couple – to get the feeling.

“It’s not the same to go and play in Israel as it is to go and play in Stoke or Newcastle. The feeling is obviously different. But I got from them the sense of responsibility and, of course, everybody has travelled. Nobody even tried not to go.

"I didn’t have a single problem within the squad. I didn’t have a Graeme Le Saux. I had everybody without fears, just wanting to come.

"I even have a player whose wife is going to have a baby either tomorrow or the next day but he’s here, focusing on what he can do for us."

Fearful: Graeme Le Saux opted out of a UEFA Cup tie in 2001 due to the threat of terrorism (Image: Getty)

Ex-England star Parker, who played for Chelsea briefly in 1997, stuck up for Le Saux, slamming Mourinho's lack of respect.

Writing in his Eurosport column, he said: "Jose Mourinho just can't help himself, can he? Graeme Le Saux makes some valid criticisms of Chelsea after their worst start to a season in 20 years, and Mourinho just has to respond.

“The fact that he does so with a cheap jibe about Le Saux being fearful of an away match in Israel a decade ago says it all.

“It's horrible to see. Mourinho had actually gone out of the spotlight a little bit in the last few weeks, and there was a part of me that wondered if he'd finally realised that silence is golden, and that a manager can act with dignity and respect."

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